I went to Costo for the first time - don't make the same silly mistake as me

Last year the wholesale supermarket announced it was looking to open 14 new stores - including one in Preston - but all has gone quiet since.

But I kept hearing all these wonderful reviews of the place - as well as seeing people’s visits on TikTok - so wanted to see what the hype was all about for myself.

My mum has an individual membership card, so I went with her this week to the nearest Costco branch to us, which was about half an hour away down the M6 in Haydock.

The only problem was - as a very matter of fact member of staff was keen to point out - we got there too soon. If you don’t have a trade card, then you’re not getting in before 11am. Cue a time-wasting trip to a nearby garden centre for 45 minutes.

When I eventually got in, Costco didn’t disappoint. It’s huge and it seems that just about everything you could possibly want is stocked. From TVs to diamond jewelley, knickers to pork chops, multi-vitamins to bouncy castles and more. The food section is particularly impressive, with lots of different products from different countries available, stacks of cakes, a whole chilled room filled with fruit, and lots of people giving away free samples.

I ended up spending £113 but it could have been much more. I went for ‘sensible’ purchases such as a massive bottle of fabric conditioner, a huge Douwe Egberts coffee tin, and a multi-pack of Coke Zero. There are definitely bargains to be had, and if you’re having a party it’s a must - but just be careful not to miss off the VAT on the prices, and work out whether you REALLY need all those beans.

Membership

It’s important to note that not everyone actually qualifies for a Costco warehouse membership, if you want to shop in stores - you’ll need to be a current or retired employee of a specific job role which includes banking, finance, medical, civil service or education. You can find the full list of jobs which qualify you on its website here.